<p>This study investigates the effect of company characteristics on the working capital management. We employed quantitative method to examine the relationship between company characteristics and the cash conversion cycle as a measure of working capital management in Swedish listed companies. The company characteristics include profitability, operating cash flow, company size, sale growth, current ratio and debt ratio. The sample consists of 40 companies in the large cap investment segment listed on NASDAQ OMX Stockholm Exchange. Financial data are extracted from companies’ annual reports of year 2007 and 2008 in order to calculate financial ratios used in the study.</p><p> </p><p>Using regression analysis, our results indicate that profitability, operating cash flow, company size and sale growth affect the company’s working capital management. First, we find that there is a significant positive association between profitability and the cash conversion cycle. Second, we find that the cash conversion cycle have significant negative relationship with operating cash flow, company size and sale growth. Further, we examined the industry effect and find significant positive relations with the cash conversion cycle in four industry classifications as follows: materials, industrials, health care and information technology.</p>

This study investigates the effect of company characteristics on the working capital management. We employed quantitative method to examine the relationship between company characteristics and the cash conversion cycle as a measure of working capital management in Swedish listed companies. The company characteristics include profitability, operating cash flow, company size, sale growth, current ratio and debt ratio. The sample consists of 40 companies in the large cap investment segment listed on NASDAQ OMX Stockholm Exchange. Financial data are extracted from companies’ annual reports of year 2007 and 2008 in order to calculate financial ratios used in the study.   Using regression analysis, our results indicate that profitability, operating cash flow, company size and sale growth affect the company’s working capital management. First, we find that there is a significant positive association between profitability and the cash conversion cycle. Second, we find that the cash conversion cycle have significant negative relationship with operating cash flow, company size and sale growth. Further, we examined the industry effect and find significant positive relations with the cash conversion cycle in four industry classifications as follows: materials, industrials, health care and information technology.

The primary objective of any corporation should be shareholder wealth maximisation. A firm's working capital policies have an effect on the firm's expected future returns and the risk associated with the returns, which ultimately have an impact on shareholder wealth. Efficient working capital management is a fundamental portion of the overall corporate strategy to create shareholder value. In this study the relationship of corporate profitability and working capital management was investigated. This relationship is examined using regression analysis. A sample of 118 firms listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange (JSE) for the period 2003 to 2007 was used. The purpose of this study is to establish whether a relationship exists between working capital management efficiency and profitability, considering the cash conversion cycle and operating profitability of the firm. The results of the regression analysis indicated that a statistical significance exists for three of the five years (2003 - 2005) analysed between profitability, measured with the gross operating profit, and the cash conversion cycle. It is observed (2003-2005 regression results) that a lower gross operating profit is associated with an increase in number of days accounts payable. The negative relationship between accounts receivable and firms' profitability (for 2003-2005) suggests that less profitable firms will pursue a decrease of accounts receivables in the attempt to reduce cash gap in the respective cash conversion cycles. The negative relationship between the number of days inventory and corporate profitability (for 2003-2005) suggests that a sudden decrease in sales accompanied by mismanagement of inventory, will lead to tying up excess capital at the expense of profitable operations. Managers or owners of firms can improve profits for firms by handling correctly the cash conversion cycle and keeping each individual component (accounts receivable, accounts payable and inventory) to an optimum level. These results (for 2003-2005) suggest that managers can create value for shareholders by reducing the cash conversion cycle and its individual components. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

The primary objective of any corporation should be shareholder wealth maximisation. A firm's working capital policies have an effect on the firm's expected future returns and the risk associated with the returns, which ultimately have an impact on shareholder wealth. Efficient working capital management is a fundamental portion of the overall corporate strategy to create shareholder value. In this study the relationship of corporate profitability and working capital management was investigated. This relationship is examined using regression analysis. A sample of 118 firms listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange (JSE) for the period 2003 to 2007 was used. The purpose of this study is to establish whether a relationship exists between working capital management efficiency and profitability, considering the cash conversion cycle and operating profitability of the firm. The results of the regression analysis indicated that a statistical significance exists for three of the five years (2003 - 2005) analysed between profitability, measured with the gross operating profit, and the cash conversion cycle. It is observed (2003-2005 regression results) that a lower gross operating profit is associated with an increase in number of days accounts payable. The negative relationship between accounts receivable and firms' profitability (for 2003-2005) suggests that less profitable firms will pursue a decrease of accounts receivables in the attempt to reduce cash gap in the respective cash conversion cycles. The negative relationship between the number of days inventory and corporate profitability (for 2003-2005) suggests that a sudden decrease in sales accompanied by mismanagement of inventory, will lead to tying up excess capital at the expense of profitable operations. Managers or owners of firms can improve profits for firms by handling correctly the cash conversion cycle and keeping each individual component (accounts receivable, accounts payable and inventory) to an optimum level. These results (for 2003-2005) suggest that managers can create value for shareholders by reducing the cash conversion cycle and its individual components. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Managing cash flow and cash conversion cycle is a crucial component of the overall financial management within businesses, particularly small businesses. A business is required to maintain a balance between its liquidity and profitability while conducting its day-to-day operations. Monitoring of cash as an indicator of financial health is important in the view of its crucial role within businesses. This requires a business to run an effective working capital management efficiently and profitably. Hence, efficient working capital management includes decisions on how much to invest in customers, inventory and accounts receivable, and the extent of credit to accept from suppliers. The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of working capital management on the profitability of small retail business with the Emfuleni Local Municipality. Three variables were used as a measure of working capital management, namely the number of days inventory on hand, number of days accounts payable, number of days account receivable. The return on assets was used to measure profitability. The study adopted the quantitative research approach using a structured questionnaire. A non-probability purposive sampling method was followed, where a total of 222 questionnaires were analysed. Spearman’s correlation analysis was conducted to examine the linear relationship between working capital management and the rate of return on assets. The results indicated that the period it takes the business to collect money from its customers impacts on the period it takes to pay the suppliers. A weak correlation was also reported between the number of days accounts are payable and the cash conversion cycle. Strong correlations also exist between day’s accounts receivable and the cash conversion cycle and days inventory on hand with the cash conversion cycle. Regression analysis results show that days account receivables have made the largest impact on return on assets. Small businesses may have to decrease the cash conversion cycle in order to help maintain value within the business. The number of days for accounts receivable should be reduced to a reasonable period (shorter than the creditor’s payment period). Small businesses may consider shortening the number of days inventory is held within the business, as this also will decrease the cost of obsolete stock.

Denna kvalitativa studie syftar till att få en djupare förståelse för hur små- till medelstora företag inom fordonsindustrin arbetar med Working Capital Management och hur användbara teorier kopplade till rörelsekapital är inom praktiken. Working Capital Management, som på svenska innebär styrning av rörelsekapitalet, syftar till att hitta en effektiv balans mellan rörelsekapitalets olika delar. Datainsamling till studien har skett via primära och sekundära källor, där de primära källorna är intervjuer och de sekundära tidigare empiriska studier samt tryckta källor. Fyra bolag som uppfyllt studiens krav har valts ut där två utav respondenterna var VD för respektive bolag och de andra två ekonomichefer. Intervjufrågorna baserades på den teoretiska referensramen där den empiriska datan sedan sammanställdes. Utifrån den teoretiska referensramen och den empiriska datan analyserades huruvida teorierna stämde överens med samtliga bolag. Slutsatsen av den här studien är att bolagen påverkas mycket av de större aktörerna inom fordonsindustrin vilket styr deras arbete med Working Capital Management. Däremot påverkas de olika mycket beroende på vilka kredittider bolagen har. Bolagen styrs också mycket av andra externa faktorer, där ett dotterbolag är mer styrt från övriga koncernen än vad ett moderbolag är. Slutligen kan arbetet med Working Capital Management ses som en påverkande faktor i bolagens val av finansiering, där bolagens tankesätt ligger mest i enlighet med POT.

Syfte: Syftet med denna uppsats är att studera om förändringar i arbetet med rörelsekapital hade ett samband med lönsamheten i företag. Som mått på rörelsekapital används Cash Conversion Cycle och som mått på lönsamhet används ROA. Teoretiskt perspektiv: Den teoretiska referensramen består av teorier om Working Capital Management, Cash Conversion Cycle, Lean, Supply Chain Management och Supply Chain Finance. Metod: I denna uppsats används en kvantitativ metod där sekundärdata samlas in från årsredovisningar för 2005 och 2013. Denna data ligger till grund för fyra korrelationsanalyser. Den beroende variabeln i korrelationsanalyserna är ROA och defyra oberoende variablerna är Cash Conversion Cycle, dagar i lager, dagar som kundfordring och dagar som leverantörsskuld. Urvalet i denna studie består av svenska aktiebolag inom branschen tillverkning och industri med fler än 50 anställda. Empiri: Empirin består av fyra tabeller som presenterar de beräkningar som gjorts. Slutsats: Sambandet mellan förändring i Cash Conversion Cycle och förändring i ROA blev väldigt svagt positivt men inte signifikant. Alla förändringar i dagar i lager, dagar som kundfordring och dagar som leverantörsskuld visade svaga negativa samband till ROA och var signifikanta.

This master thesis is focused on operating working capital and its implication towards corporate performance in the retail industry in a relevant business framework that takes into account structural changes in the industry. Our results suggest that there is a negative relationship between cash conversion cycle and corporate performance. Therefore, the management of retail companies should focus on shortening the cash conversion cycle to create value. However, in the apparel retail industry, companies with exceptionally long cash conversion cycles are better off keeping working capital investments high as those companies generate on the WC higher profitability than are the opportunity costs for this allocated capital. Finally, we have not found enough evidence to conclude that investment strategies based on the cash conversion cycle are able to generate alpha. However, there seems to be a sign of persistence for value-weighted portfolios. JEL Classification G31, G32 Keywords Working capital, Working capital management, Cash Conversion Cycle, Retail Author's e-mail michael.dibon@gmail.com Supervisor's e-mail ales.cornanic@gmail.com

The objective of this three-essay dissertation are to develop a weighted cash conversion cycle (CCC_EVA) and empirically investigate its commensurability of corporate financial performance. Essay 1, titled "Supply Chain Finance: Developing a Weighted Cash Conversion Cycle to Proxy Operations Liquidity", presents the development and supporting empirical evidence of CCC_EVA measurability of operations liquidity. This essay shows the processes of scaling capital intensity and financing cost into time intervals captured by the traditional metric. Specifically, this essay investigates how accurately CCC_EVA indexes operations liquidity captured working capital, operational cash flow-to-modified working capital ratio, and quick ratio. The sample used in this essay consists of 4,333 firm-year observations of publicly traded industry classified firms listed on the U.S. exchange markets. The results of the empirical testing have statistically supported the essay hypotheses, that is CCC_EVA is a more accurate proxy of operations liquidity in comparison to the traditional metric (CCC_D). Essay 2, titled "Supply Chain Finance: Weighted Cash Conversion Cycle and Corporate Finance", expands the first essay findings by accounting for well-known financial measurements. Specifically, this essay examines the relations between CCC_EVA and operations liquidity and leverage, Market value, operating profitably and growth, and long-term asset management efficiency. This essay paper has used a sample of 24,127 firm-year observations of publicly traded firms listed on U.S. exchange markets from 1994 to 2016. The results support and extend the previous findings, that is CCC_EVA is a robust proxy of operations liquidity and can enhance its resiliency; maximize market value of corporate equity and debt; identify strategies to improve corporate profitability and credibility. Essay 3, titled "Supply Chain Finance: An Advanced Weighted Cash Conversion Cycle", advances the accuracy of CCC_EVA by differentiating between cash and credit forms of corporate sales and purchase transactions, and introducing operational cash flow into CCC_EVA. The advanced metric allows differences in inventory carrying cost and capital costs to be sources of the economic value added (EVA). Within a longitudinal case-based approach, the results show that the advanced metric is a potential decision tool to leverage on supply chain diversity and capitalize on its relation dynamics. Specifically, the implantation of the advanced metric can minimize the overall SC weighted average cost of capital (WACC) and its inventory carry cost (ICC); boost EVA of SC activities; and hedge liquidity risk. This three-essay dissertation has addressed the academic skepticism about CCC_D‘s commensurability by developing an advanced weighted metric (CCC_EVA) that accounts for capital intensity and financing cost. The three essays provide evidence of CCC_EVA testability and its adequacy of presenting corporate financial performance. The findings of this dissertation contribute to both industry and academia. Industry practitioners can implement CCC_EVA as a strategic decision instrument to balance SC liquidity distribution and resilience; hedge default risk of hidden deep-tier SC partners; increase overall SC profitability and creditability; boost equity value; and reveal existing opportunities of SC's EVA sources. Academically, these three essays initiate a fundamental and much-needed step for scholars to advance a systematically published metric, which can contribute to the implications, innovations, and knowledge of the SCF domain.

Bakgrund Rörelsekapitalet är ett företags livsnerv, det kan öppna upp för nya affärsmöjligheter; upprätthålla och förbättra kundrelationer samt föra nya produkter och teknologi till marknaden. Samtidigt kan dess hantering vara avgörande för om företaget riskerar att bli insolvent och gå i konkurs. Hur rörelsekapitalet hanteras är därmed av yttersta vikt för ett företag, då det påverkar företagets lönsamhet, likviditet och risk. Detta borde vara av intresse för investerare som vill maximera sin avkastning och för företagsledare som önskar maximera verksamhetens genererade vinst. Syfte Studiens ämnar analysera vikten av rörelsekapitalets hantering för nyintroducerade svenska företag och hur det påverkar deras finansiella prestation och värdeutveckling i en tid av ekonomisk tillväxt. Metod Detta är en kvantitativ studie med en deduktiv ansats. Finansiella data kommer analyseras över en tidsperiod på fem, fyra eller tre år beroende på när företagen introduceras på börsen vilket gör det till en longitudinell studie. Vidare används korrelationsmatris och regressioner för att analysera variablernas samband och därmed besvara studiens syfte. Slutsats Resultatet pekar på ett negativt samband mellan rörelsekapitalshantering och lönsamhet, positivt samband mellan rörelsekapitalshantering och likviditet samt ett negativt samband mellan rörelsekapitalshantering och värdeutveckling. / Introduction Working capital is the life blood of a company. It is an enabler of business opportunities; a sustainer and improver of businessrelations and also an envoy of new products and technology. The management of working capital decides if a company might become insolvent or even file for bankrupcy. How the working capital is managed is therefore of utmost importancet to a company, since it detirmines the company's performance, liquidity and risk. Hence, it should be of import to prospect investors that want to maximize the return of the investment and also decision makers who wishes to maximize the operational profits. Purpose The purpose of this study is to analyze the importance of efficient working capital management and its effect on financial performance and firm value for Swedish IPO companies during an economic boom. Methodology This is a quantiative study utilizing a deductive approach. Financial data is analysed over a period of five, four or three years depending on when the IPO occured, which classifies this as a longitudinal study. A correlation matrix and regressions will be used to establish the relationships between the variables and thereby fulfill the purpose of the study. Findings The resuslts indicate a negative correlation between CCC and profitability, a positive correlation between CCC and liquidity and a negative correlation between CCC and Tobin's Q.